springfield armory national historic site

My one big dislike, is that it is somewhat hard to find. Once there, the exhibits are arranged in chronological order. The film is a must see as it gives a good overview of the armory and its purpose. There is also a short trail with waysides around the perimeter of the park. I am not a huge fan of the American Civil War, but this was quite interesting to learn about.

Great place to see some early local history. If you are into firearms this is your place. I don't recall there being a cost to enter but there may have been. You need to have the time to enjoy the exhibits so don't rush.

The former Springfield Armory, which used to design and produce firearms for the US military until the 1960s, lives on as a museum. The museum itself is the first floor of one of the old buildings, and the remainder of the campus has largely been converted to a technical college. The museum is free, and if you're into miltary history, you could probably spend at least a solid two hours there. Half the museum is dedicated to rifles themselves, from the colonial era flintlocks all the way up to modern bolt-action rifles. Many display cases with many rifles, along with discussion of the technological progression of them.The other half is dedicated to the industry of riflemaking. You'll see replicas of machine tools used to fabricate rifles, along with displays which demonstrate the nuances and insights into the experiences of workers at the Armory over the years.There's also a documentary in a small theater, which the Park Ranger will show if you ask for it. It's maybe 15 minutes long and is pretty good (if dated).The grounds themselves are fairly nice, and resemble that of a college campus. I don't think there's anything else to see on the grounds, although it's up the hill from downtown, so you get a nice view of the city from there.

Housed in an old Armory building, nested behind a college campus, this museum was definitely one of my favorites to date.After wanting to visit this site for quite some time, we were in the area and choose to visit on a mid-day Saturday in March (2014).", and I'm very glad we did. The museum was almost all ourselves, and the staff was excellent. They gave us a private viewing of a 20 minute film explaining the Armory's significance in history. The film also discusses the National Armory in Harper's Ferry, and the reason behind it's intentional destruction.After the video, we walked the museum, learning about countless artifacts, manufacturing techniques, as well as failed experiments. While I originally thought that this might be too boring for young children (ages 6-1) I was wrong. The National Park Service employees have numerous activities for young children, while actually keeping them engaged with learning about the history and significance of this museum. I definitely plan on returning, if I'm ever in this area again..

Bring the history buffs! I never knew there could be so many styles of beautiful hand-crafted guns and rifles! I took my teenage son, and we were fascinated by all the history ee learned!

The movie is great. Admission is free. The exhibits are very interesting. So few of us appreciate how big a role Springfield has played in our country's history.

They did an excellent job displaying guns from throughout their history, and provided a lot of details about the weapons. Well worth a visit if you have any interest in guns or history.

The Springfield Armory NHS is a must-see for anyone interested in firearms history and firearms manufacturing history, and highly recommended for those interested in the industrial revolution in America and history in general. During our visit, there was a very eager Boy Scout troop there, and they all appeared to be very interested in viewing the industrial and firearms parts of the museum. The armory opened shortly after the revolution war and closed in 1968. On display are original, un-used examples of the various muskets, rifles, and other weapons manufactured at the armory. Be sure to view the 18-minute video giving an overview of the history of the armory. Many of the original manufacturing machines are in exhibits in the industrial section of the museum. Many of them are great advances in manufacturing and help progress the industrial revolution in America. On a personal note, my husband, an Army veteran, saw a number of weapons he trained with at various points in his early career.

Take a walk into history in the middle of town…founded by George Washington. Not just all about guns, but manufacturing, guided and self-guided tours of museum and grounds. Beautiful setting. And admission is free.

The Springfield Armory does a great job of delving into the history of the armory and its place/role in US history. Adult history buffs should find something interesting there. Kids might get bored easily, though.

This was the highlight of my trip. Really enjoyed my time here and realized I should have alloted more time since everything was so detailed and the staff was more than willing to answer questions. Definetly worth a visit.

located on the grounds of the local Community college, the Armory Museum was a treat to visit. A small compact museum showing the history of American Rifles. I loved touring the displays. my wife was bored so she shopped. If you're into military history this is a must stop

Visited the museum and grounds. The self-guided tour is free. Donations are accepted. Great story about he national armory and its almost 200 yr history. See the film first, then follow the self guided map. Plan on 2-3 hours minimum. Many guns from this armory and military guns from around the world.

Historical importance, tour guide's knowledge and gracious presentations, a place to spend hours and hours and a place to remember for a lifetime.

While the 8 year old was done after 30 minutes. I could have stayed about 3 hours reading all the exhibit pieces. I love the way they are generally arranged by time period, and how one end of the building focuses on the arms and the other on the technology of building them. Excellent orientation video--super engaging and informative for only 15 minutes. We didn't tour the grounds but spent a lovely morning in the main visitor center. Some cool items in the gift shop too. Note that to get to the center you basically drive around the STCC campus.